Officials Pour Out Vodka to Protest War but Use Brands From U.S. Companies

Officials from a New York town poured out bottles of Russian vodka on Monday in a show of solidarity for Ukraine during the Russian invasion.

But what the town officials in Long Island's Hempstead didn't know is that at least some of the brands they drained weren't from Russian-owned businesses.

Countries, businesses, officials and organizations have been distancing themselves from Russia ever since President Vladimir Putin launched his military attack on Ukraine. Vodka, long associated with Russia, has become one of the latest targets in this campaign.

A photo of the Hempstead officials dumping vodka, posted on the town's Twitter page, showed them pouring out at least 10 different bottles. The town said in a press release that the gesture went hand in hand with a boycott of Russian spirits that several bar and restaurant owners have already joined.

One of those brands was Hammer + Sickle. Klin Spirits, the company behind the vodka, says on its website that it is a Massachusetts-based small business that started importing Russian vodka in 2007. It adds that it started importing the spirit "with the hopes of bringing an unknown, high quality product to market in our great country" and that it sources the product "from a hardworking, multi generation family in Russia."

"Klin Spirits is devastated by the actions of the Russian government and unequivocally supports the people of Ukraine. We hope consumers understand that in no way do we condone the violence against Ukraine and implore the Russian government to work towards a peaceful resolution," company officials said in a statement.

Another of the brands, Zyr Vodka, is Russian-made but comes from an American-owned company. New Jersey native David Katz told WNBC that his company had to acquire stickers for the liquor bottles clarifying that the vodka is not from a Russian-owned business.

He told the news station that spirit's bottle corks come from Ukraine and that the effects of banning his vodka will not be felt in Russia.

In a statement sent to Newsweek, Katz said hundreds of stores and restaurants have removed his product since the Russian invasion began. Getting the hard spirit in those stores took "years" of convincing and "countless promotions," he said.

"I'm sure it feels good to dump a product, spill it off, discontinue it or post something on social media. I get it. It feels like you're doing something, which we all want to do," Katz said. "The problem is, these are complicated situations, both the Ukraine invasion and boycotting."

Katz said that everyone involved with or associated with Zyr is against the Ukraine war and the Russian invasion. All of the company's profits stay in the U.S. and help pay for the sales team, designers and other items, he added.

"Zyr vodka is made by very good people who don't want war. That is a fact," Katz said. "We will be the only people affected by discontinuing Zyr. Russia will never feel this. Putin surely will not feel this. My little company, my sales team, my partners and my family," he added.

Still, Hempstead Supervisor Donald Clavin Jr., one of the town officials who poured out the vodka Monday, stood by the action. "Hey, it's Russian vodka, and who you do business with matters," he told WNBC.

Another of the poured-out brands seen in a photo posted on Twitter by the town of Hempstead is Russian Standard Vodka, whose website confirms that it is Russian-owned and produced.

The town's press release said that in addition to Zyr and Russian Standard, the symbolic pouring in Hempstead included Beluga Noble Russian Vodka and Beluga Noble Russian Gold Vodka. Both of those spirits are produced in Russia, according to the company's website.

The town's communications director, in an email to Newsweek, did not specify what other brands were poured out in the show of support for Ukraine but said that they were all Russian.

The company that owns one vodka brand, the Latvian-produced Stolichnaya, recently announced it would be rebranding as Stoli in an effort to distance itself from Russia.

"The three driving factors behind the decision are the founder's vehement position on the Putin regime; the Stoli employees' determination to take action; and the desire to accurately represent Stoli's roots in Latvia," the company said in a statement.

Update 03/08/22, 3:12 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with statements from the town of Hempstead and Zyr Vodka's David Katz.